Vaishnavi Group Partnership With Katerra's Technologies Helps Completes Residential Project 20 Months Ahead Of Time

* Partnership with Katerra for next-gen construction technology makes this possible

Vaishnavi Group has successfully completed their 896 unit apartment project, Vaishnavi Serene in Yelahanka, way ahead of the scheduled time, 20 months ahead to be precise. This astounding achievement comes in the wake of habitual delays that the construction industry has been dogged with for the last decade.

In 2019, Vaishnavi Group had joined hands with Katerra, a technology-driven offsite precast construction company, to introduce the next generation construction technology in their project Vaishnavi Serene. Katerra, which adopts the integrated offsite manufacturing technology and the concept of DFMA (Designor For Manufacturing and Assembly), ensured 50 per cent faster completion time, besides reducing pollution on site by over 40 per cent.

Commenting on this incredible achievement, Mr. C.N Govindaraju, Chairman & Managing Director, Vaishnavi Group, says, “This achievement stands as a testimony to what new age technology can do to construction. Our collaboration with Katerra was in keeping with our aim of ‘Building from the Heart’ where we have created homes that offer the best functional use of the living spaces.

Our meticulously planned spaces offer the homeowner in Vaishnavi Serene the experience and efficiency of a 1400 Sq ft residence for a given space of 1118 Sq ft 3-bedroom unit. Besides, the project has not only been completed way ahead of schedule but the build quality and finish of the spaces come with an unmatched standard, thanks to the technology opted coupled with our ethos. Additionally, the technology is in line with our green thinking as the impact on the environment in the form of construction debris, water consumption, wastage and noise is substantially reduced.”

He further points out that, Yelahanka being an upcoming growth hub, the infrastructure development the locality is currently witnessing will make the project a winning proposition for the home buyer.

Smart and efficient technology:

Speaking on the efficiency of the offsite casting and the new age technology offered by Katerra, Nejeeb Khan, the Head - Design & Brand Strategy, Asia & Middle East, Katerra says, “Our factory manufactured and assembled solutions come with the highest quality in design, production and finish, eliminating many of the oft faced problems associated with conventional on-site construction. Designed and manufactured to precision, we deliver quality homes that increase speed of implementation while simultaneously reducing waste through the optimal use of resources and minimal environmental intervention. Vaishnavi Serene stands testimony to our quality and unmatched standards, a product of new age technology in action.”

The project also comes with 100 percent offsite manufactured bathroom pods that merely have to be plugged into the designated area on a floor plate. Because of the offsite manufacturing of the precast elements, there has also been a substantial saving on material used, besides the conservation of water given the steam curing adopted in the factory. The factory finished precast concrete slabs come with all the built in mechanical, electrical and plumbing conduits.

Situated adjacent to the lush green CRPF campus in Yelahanka, Vaishnavi Serene offers units in configurations of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms, in sizes that range from 635 Sq ft to 1118 Sq ft. The smartly sized homes, besides their highly enhanced space efficiency, are also Vaastu compliant.

Happy customers:

“When we booked our unit in November 2019, we did not expect to have the project completed on time, leave alone ahead of schedule, especially in the backdrop of Covid-19. But what transpired was not only completion 20 months ahead of schedule but also deliverance of immaculate quality and finish. This has happened only because of the adoption of the integrated offsite manufacturing technology, which has certainly provided a quality and standard that is way ahead of the conventional construction methods.”, say Devendra Bhimrao Sawant and Poonam Devendra Sawant, proud home owners at Vaishnavi Serene.

Chekkera Subbaiah Devaiah and Poonam Devaiah, also happy home owners at Vaishnavi Serene, have this to say about the project- “We are really pleased to see Vaishnavi Group stand by its commitment even during such difficult times as the ongoing pandemic, and complete the project not just on schedule but way ahead of the stipulated completion time.”

About Vaishnavi Group

Vaishnavi Group, a Bengaluru based Real Estate Company started with the explicit aim of making a mark in the real estate segment as the most admired brand for its integrity, commitment and for exceeding expectations consistently. Started in 1998 by its charismatic leader, C N Govindaraju, a civil engineer by profession, Vaishnavi Group has come a long way, carving a niche in Bangalore’s real estate market, leaving an indelible mark amidst its expanding customer base.

Vaishnavi Group’s commercial projects are Grade A buildings, designed for LEED platinum certification and acclaimed for their strategic locations and highly efficient designs. The company has currently 9 million Sq ft of projects in various stages of development. 

About Katerra

Katerra is a technology company optimizing the way buildings are designed and constructed. Katerra is a technology company at heart.  Katerra is bringing the tested systems approaches of industrialized global industries to bring greater efficiency to building design and construction. Founded in 2015, by Michael Marks, today Katerra has over 700+ projects in progress and 6 factories across the globe. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Katerra has operational offices across America, India, China and the Middle East employing over 7500 people.

Rapido Auto Completes 1 Million Rides Within Five Months Of Operations

Rapido, India’s largest bike taxi platform, today announced the completion of 1 Million Rapido Auto Rides within five months of launch. The company launched the Rapido Auto Service in October 2020 and is currently present in 25 cities in the country.

Rapido Auto has onboarded almost 70,000 Captains so far and plans to onboard half a million in the next six months. It also plans to encourage women to join the Rapido Auto Captain fleet and provide them with an opportunity to earn extra income. The service acts as an additional public commute option for commuters that is safe, affordable and conveniently accessible. Hyderabad sees the highest demand for the service, followed by Delhi, Chennai.

On the completion of 1 Million Rapido Auto rides, Aravind Sanka, Co-Founder, Rapido, said, “In the aftermath of the ongoing pandemic, autos have emerged as a preferred way of commuting after bike taxis. There is a growing demand for safe, affordable and accessible rides, and Rapido Autos fulfill that gap, while also providing a familiarity of experience and standardization of pricing. We will continue to focus on making the service available to all cities Rapido is present in.”

Each Rapido auto is powered with Rapido’s GPS technology ensuring access to continuous demand from customers around them. Through Rapido Auto, users can track and share their ride in real-time, with their loved ones. Rapido Auto, like Rapido Bike Taxi service, has an in-app feedback mechanism to allow for and ensure a safe and consistent experience for commuters.

Rapido recently announced several initiatives towards maintaining safety and following guidelines to protect the customer and the Captain, including the innovative Safety back shields for bike taxi rides. For the Auto services, the captains are mandated to sanitize and clean the seats and all customer accessible areas, post every ride, along with mandatory usage of masks during the entire ride by the Captains and the passengers.

EuroKids International School Appoints Mr. Bijou Kurien To Its Board

EuroKids International, a leading Education company in India backed by global investment firm KKR has announced the addition of Mr. Bijou Kurien as a new board member to the EuroKids International Group. A retail sector veteran, Mr. Kurien is highly credited for his contribution to the development of the Indian retail sector. He has also been associated with several marquee brands in the fast moving consumer products and consumer lifestyle sectors in India, for over 34 years.

Mr. Kurien is a science graduate and has also completed his post-graduation in Business Management from XLRI, Jamshedpur. Kurien is an Independent Director on the boards of several listed and unlisted companies, and advises select consumer product companies and mentors a few start -ups.  He is presently the Chairman of the Retailers Association of India (RAI).  Mr. Kurien is also a member of the World Retail Congress since its inception, as a member of its Advisory Board as well as the Grand Jury for selection of the World Retail Award winners. In addition to retail industry foray, Bijou is the Mentor of the FICCI National Retail Committee, and Governing boards of various academic institutions.

Welcoming Mr. Bijou Kurien to the board of EuroKids International Group, Prajodh Rajan, Co-founder and Group CEO, EuroKids International, said, “We are excited to have Bijou join our board of directors. He joins EuroKids at an exciting time in which we are poised to grow multi fold and are fast expanding into newer market segments. Our organization will greatly benefit from Bijou’s extensive knowledge of consumer behaviour, marketing, retail and from his prior experience across a range of sectors.

“I’m delighted to join the Board of Directors at EuroKids International and am looking forward to assisting the organization at a strategic level by leveraging my retail & consumer experience as we create more access points for furthering high quality education in the country. With EuroKids Group, I see the opportunity to build a scaled education organization that can cater to the growing aspirations of the Indian parents”, said Mr. Kurien.

About EuroKids International:

As India’s leading Early Childhood Education & K-12 Education company, delivering the ‘Joy of Learning’ is at the heart of EuroKids International. By enhancing its pedagogy and consistently building a holistic, nurturing and secure learning environment for children, EuroKids is coming closer to its vision of REINVENTING EDUCATION in the country.  Over the last 2 decades, EuroKids International has played an active role in the evolution of the education landscape. With its portfolio of brands - EuroKids Preschool, Kangaroo Kids Preschool, EuroKids DayCare, EuroSchool & Billabong High International, EuroKids is committed to delivering a robust foundation for future generations. The group’s ‘Child First’ ideology ensures that growth and engagement needs of a child are met in a home-like environment. Child safety focus and ensuring active engagement with parents during these crucial developmental years of the child is what makes EuroKids, a child’s Second Home. EuroKids, with its presence in over 360 cities with 1,200+ pre-schools and 38+ Schools, is achieving new milestones in education every day. 

Sharp Spike In Cases Of Mature Cataract And Dry Eyes During Pandemic

The ongoing pandemic has led to increased severity and morbidity in eye conditions of people in Bengaluru because of delayed treatment and lifestyle changes due to the pandemic, according to eye surgeons at Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital. The elderly people have been particularly impacted, with cases of mature cataracts going up as much as five times compared to the period before the pandemic. Incidence of severe dry eyes has also risen three times as people have been spending more time glued to digital screens. 

Said Dr. Ram Mirlay, Regional Head – Clinical Services, Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, Bengaluru: “During the last one year of the pandemic, patients have been worried about contracting coronavirus if they visited a hospital. Most people with pre-existing eye problems did not go for regular follow-ups during the lockdown and even afterwards, leading to aggravation of their condition. Others with newly developed eye problems waited to consult the doctors, which led to serious consequences, including loss of vision. In the last three months of 2019, before the pandemic had hit fully, just 10 percent of all cataract patients coming to our hospital were suffering from mature cataract. In the last quarter of 2020, this figure jumped to 50%, a five-fold increase.”  

He added: “We have also noticed worsening of existing cases of glaucoma in many patients as they hesitated to come for regular follow-ups. People with diabetes ignored their period eye check-ups, leading to severe complications in their retina. Pandemic has had a huge socio-economic impact too. Many cataract patients coming to us are opting to get operated in only one eye, as they are running low on finances due to reduced income.”  

Said Dr. Archana S, Regional Head – Clinical Services, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, Bengaluru: “Cases of severe dry eyes due to digital eye strain jumped from 10% before the pandemic to 30% now, as working from home led to loss of work-life balance and people got habituated to looking at digital screens for long hours. Those working on digital screens blink much less than normal, and even the blinks are not fully complete. This, coupled with glare and flickering of screens, has led to a big spike in incidence of digital eye strain and dry eyes. To give relief to the eyes, the rule is that for every 20 minutes of computer work, you should look away for 20 seconds to objects at least 20 feet away, or, better still, look out of the window.” 

She added: “It is important for people to not neglect their eye problems in pandemic times. To begin with, tele-consult is a good option and, in many cases, should be enough to get the right advice. Sometimes the doctor will advise to consult in person. That is the time when not doing anything can aggravate a minor eye problem to a more serious one. Rather than delaying treatment, choose an eye hospital where all safety precautions are being implemented.” 

Said Dr. Ram Mirlay: “Diabetic patients above 50 years old need to get their eyes screened at least once a year by an ophthalmologist, as over 30% of them go on to develop some form of diabetic eye disease, including vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy. Such patients should be extra careful in the pandemic time and do not hesitate to visit a hospital for regular check-ups. Any delay can create more severe complications, including loss of vision. This is true for Glaucoma patients too. If their condition is unstable or they develop unusual symptoms such as eye pain or changes in vision, they should see the doctor immediately.”  

About Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals: 

Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital a comprehensive eye hospital offering a one-stop solution for eye ailments; was started in the year 1957. Now the hospital is in its 61st year of offering quality services in eye care. It has 80+ hospitals across India. With a visible footprint in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andaman, West Bengal, and Rajasthan. A tertiary eye care centre at Mauritius marks its first step towards establishing an international presence extended up to 13 branches covering the Indian Ocean region, African countries and East Asia. 

Webisdom Heading Towards New Account Into The World Of Online Gaming

Digital marketing company ‘Webisdom’ which has worked with several gaming companies in the past is set to launch A1 games. The Covid19 pandemic has altered consumer behaviour leading to increased advertising on digital medium. The pandemic has also acted as a catalyst to the growth of the online gaming industry. This has led to the emergence of a new ‘space’ that marketers are taking notice of – online gaming platforms. Brands are not behind in tapping into this new space for marketing. In fact, advertising on gaming platforms is increasingly becoming a part of marketing plans of several companies due to the sticky young audience that is focused in their consumption patterns. In addition, gamers are willing to watch video ads for rewards.

Deepika, daughter of Mr. Chatar Singh Baid and investor in A1 games says, A1 Games, says “Online gaming platforms offer an immersive experience to users and opens up possibilities to engage with real gamers worldwide and post accomplishments on social media. Online games are not just a one person entertainment experience but have now become full-fledged virtual social spaces. So, we will continue to see the time spent on gaming going up.”

Mr. Suraj Bajpai, CEO Webisdom, says “In the last two to three years, we have run promotions, in-app purchases and also more serious brand building activities for several brands; even FMCG brands are now investing in mobile game advertising. We believe that more and more brands would be looking at this media platform as means of advertising. The younger population is hardly watching television, and gaming being a more interactive media would be the logical way ahead for brands to gain more visibility with this customer base. These platforms would be the ‘silent’ influencers.”

With the online gaming industries flourishing fast, Gamers are more than twice as likely to pay attention to advertisements placed in mobile games at 41 percent, as compared to ads placed on the internet at 17 percent, in magazines or on billboards at 15 percent each. Also, indicators such as engagement, targeting, and completion rates, can be identified and measured far more effectively.

Online gaming companies have successfully stirred up the interest of the youth with gaming being amongst the top five activities carried out on mobile device by a young tech-savvy population (with 75% aged under 45). As per industry estimates, India has over 300 million gamers today. Further, a survey has revealed gaming is part of daily lives of more than one-third Indians — 40% men and 35% women play mobile games at least five days a week. This past year, especially post the lockdown; online gaming platforms have received unprecedented traffic with a record 45-60% increase in time spent. A leading Indian gaming company witnessed a 200% increase in its user base during the lockdown, with about 1, 00,000 new users joining the platform every day.

About Webisdom

Webisdom is acommunity of diligent experts dedicated to developing streamlined digital solutions for businesses. They specialize in developing digital transformation solutions, digital marketing strategies, creative design and content development, website and mobile app development, app designing and performance marketing. Their work is founded on understanding the clients’ institutional context, macroeconomic environment and various business nodes. They have presence across India, Gulf, US and UK.The company is currently handling the launch and branding of an upcoming gaming platform – A1 Games, rumoured to be a smarter and safer gaming platform.

Opportunity To Position India As Global Hub For Data, AI, Enabling Investment, Jobs, And Innovation: Maheshwari

By Anant Maheshwari, President – Microsoft India in blog post 

Ours for the Taking!   

Like every other weekday, its 6am in the morning and you sit down with your tablet and cup of tea to scroll through the news feed. You scan your Teams' chat and Outlook email on your phone, to check if anything needs your immediate attention. A quick look at the calendar and you feel good… You will be fully present in your breakfast ritual with the kids today! Which reminds you that your on-demand yoga class is best out of the way before the rest of the family is up. Through breakfast, you get your kids to connect virtually with close family, deal with the delivery of groceries you ordered the previous evening, decide and download the movie night selection for the evening, and then set the kids up for remote school. The working day begins with Teams calls jostling for time with multiple collaboration chats coming alive. On successive Teams calls, you close a good deal with a customer, agree on a workplan with a partner and have a good 1-1 career conversation with your team member. At lunch, you join the tele-consultation with the hospital for a parent and schedule an at-home physiotherapy session. You make it an even more efficient lunch hour when you squeeze in an online application to renew your child's passport, set up a remote play date for the evening, and connect with your child's teacher on an assignment. After lunch, between meetings and emails, you remember two online payments that need to be made and quickly complete them on your phone. In the evening as you transition from work, you check your health parameters on the app and feel good about your recovery from the 2 weeks crisis with Covid infection four months back, when during the home quarantine your only connection with the world was virtual. As the day ends, the family gathers to talk to friends on a video chat, the kids watch the movie you ordered earlier, and dinner is done. A quick read of few pages on your online book while listening to your playlist as you settle into your bed at the end of just another day in the last 12 months!

Yes… its amazing to see life's continued momentum in the midst of the global pandemic crisis.

Can you spot the two common threads running through this narrative?.... You and the Cloud!

In the continuous ups and downs of life-in-a-pandemic we understand and value resilience. You are Resilient. And the Cloud empowers your resilience.

Think about it, all our service providers adapted to offer services remotely, and we adapted to that in a short time. This ability to adopt technology and integrate it into almost every aspect of our lives is called "Tech Intensity". Today every company is a tech company. We are in a hyper-tech-adoption mode. Organizations worldwide are building digital infrastructure, changing business models, and adopting best-in-class technology to develop unique digital capabilities.

Powering Tech Intensity is the Cloud! With the Cloud, we have a common platform on which everyone can innovate and apply their unique needs and solutions. This is based on an underlying foundation of trust in the Cloud as a platform. On the assumption that providers will be able to apply their unique IP. And, on trust that the consumer will be able to adapt to new forms of services.

Every organization and every industry will need to embrace Tech Intensity to be successful. The way we embrace it will define who we are, what we are capable of, and how we accelerate progress. Cases-in-point: AirJaldi, an enterprise that aims to take easy, affordable internet access to the most remote parts of the country. Or Karo Sambhav that is tackling India's massive e-waste challenge. Or V-shesh that is committed to providing digital skills to people with disabilities. Or Social Alpha that aims to accelerate the growth of healthcare startups. Or individuals like Namya Joshi and Ranjitsinh Disale blazing trails of change in the education sector. The examples of how we are adopting technology to provide solutions and services across the country are astounding.

The Prime Minister has laid the vision of technology leading the transformation of India into a global leader. Tech intensity can transform our villages and harness the power of our youth. We have an opportunity to position India as a global hub for Data and AI, enabling investment, jobs, and innovation. Increased domestic adoption of data and AI services will accelerate investment in building capabilities that can be exported globally.  This in fact is a half-a-trillion opportunity! According to a recent NASSCOM report, we can add 450-500B to India's GDP by 2025... if we capitalize on data and AI technologies. If I think of some of the examples I listed earlier, it's an excellent start to capturing 500 billion!

Tech intensity is a permanent part of our lives now, firmly embedded in the very fabric of our day-to-day living. It will only continue to accelerate from this point on. To further it, we need to build a powerful ecosystem with the government and industry. This will bolster cloud-led data and AI innovation, create a robust ecosystem of trust and security, allow us to explore new business models and partnerships, and strengthen the country's digital infrastructure.

We've shown remarkable resilience in the last 12 months. At the center of digital and technological adoption, capability and progress, is YOU…. And cloud-enabled Tech Intensity! This bodes very well for the next decade of economic growth.

We have a responsibility to make good of the promise of technology. And, prepare for a future where each of us has an equal chance to participate in success.

Resilience is us! Backed by some fantastic technology. Now, we've got to keep pace and keep going… to empower the future for you… for India… for the planet!

Vedanta Nand Ghar Bags The "CSR Shining Star Award" On Feb 2021

Vedanta Limited has been conferred with the “CSR Shining Star Award” under the category of Child Development for Nand Ghar, Vedanta Group’s flagship corporate social responsibility project. The recognition was given by Honorable Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari in an award ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan, Mumbai on 20th February 2021.

The award recognizes Vedanta’s efforts towards the holistic development and growth of children contributing towards building a stronger and healthier nation. 

Speaking on receiving the award, Vedanta Director, Ms. Priya Agarwal said: “I am honored as well ashumbled to receive the award for our Nand Ghars that aretransforming the lives of rural women and children across the country. We are committed to fulfilling Prime Minister ShriNarendra Modi’s vision of eradicating child malnutrition, providing education and healthcare, and empowering rural women through skill development, and Nand Ghar will be the change agent for the same. I have no doubt in my mind that Nand Ghar will continue to create a better tomorrow for the children and their mothers at the grassroots level.”

The Nand Ghar journey began in 2015 with a vision to transform the lives of 8.5 crore children and 2 crore women across 13.7 lakh anganwadis. A dream project of Vedanta Chairman, Shri Anil Agarwal, Nand Ghar is a network of model anganwadis where the thrust is on inclusive development of children, women and local communities. The Nand Ghars are set up in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Women & Child Development.

With more than 2000 centres, the Nand Ghar project is now spread across 10 states – Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Punjab, Assam, Himanchal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.  The project aims to touch the lives of 4 million community members while directly impacting around 2 lakh children and 1.8 lakh women on an annual basis.

Nand Ghars are equipped with solar panels to ensure 24 x 7 electricity, water purifiers, clean toilets and smart television sets, and have become a model resource centrefor the local communities. Pre-school education is provided to children in the age group of 3-6 years. Nutritious meals and take-home rations are being provided for children, pregnant and lactating women. Primary healthcare services are rendered through mobile health vans and women are empowered through skilling, credit linkage and enterprise development.